Unknown Destiny
by blackravens4
Summary: Miyuki Kobayashi has just entered Squad 10. She is a skilled fighter, but her past haunts her. She is targeted by a mysterious person. Only Toshiro Hitsugaya will be able to save Miyuki from dying. ToshiroxOC
1. Introduction

**Chapter 1: Introduction**

_**I do not own anything but Miyuki Kobayashi.**_

**(A/N if someone wants to be my beta, pm me and I may or may not accept. All I'm looking for is someone who is good at being a beta! :D)**

_I sit in Squad 10's barracks waiting to meet the captain for my first day as a Soul Reaper. I feel nervous but I sense that I have an unknown destiny waiting for me._ _The door opens. I quickly make my expression neutral._

"You must be Miyuki Kobayashi," Squad 10 Captain Toshiro Hitsugaya says. He closes the door and walks forward. He stops two feet away from me. He looks over me, my wavy auburn hair that reaches below my rib cage, my large emerald eyes, my slender, lean body, and my nice height of five feet six inches. "I am Captain Hitsugaya."

"Thank you for accepting me into your squad. I will do my best." I declare boldly.

"Good." Captain Hitsugaya replies.

"Yoohoo! Captain!" A mysterious female voice thunders behind the door. The door slides open and a mysterious woman enters. "You must be the new recruit! How cute!"

"Rangiku! I told you to finish up the paperwork in the office for me!"

"All of it? I though you just meant that one sheet of paper!" Rangiku whines. Rangiku walks towards me and shakes my hand... hard... "I'm lieutenant Motsumoto! Nice to meet ya!"

_She doesn't act like a Lieutenant..._ I say to myself."Miyuki Kobayashi."

* * *

"Today is your first day of training, Miyuki." Captain Hitsugaya announces. "I've decided it best to see how you fight against me rather than the rest of the squad."

"Right." I reply.

He leads me to an open field. I see a few soul reapers training. I recognize Rangiku training with what looks like new recruits. Captain Hitsugaya leads me past them to a nice sized strip of grass. He stops in the middle and takes out his zanpakuto.

"I am going to come at you. Block me if you can." He charges at me before finishing his sentence. I calmly take out my zanpakuto and get in a good defensive stance. Our swords come into contact. I am sent backwards, but I land on my feet in the same position as before.

"That was good. Now you attack me."

I dash towards my Captain. I slash at his right side. He sidesteps to the left and tries to hit me in the gut with the hilt of his sword. I quickly get my footing and block the attack. I then get my zanpakuto ready and charge again. This time, I catch him off guard by strafeing to the right. Just as I am about to attack, he lunges and cuts my shoulder. I parry and barely graze his chest.

"Good work Miyuki. I'm impressed. Not many new recruits can graze me. Tomorrow we will keep training, but you will train with Rangiku and the others." He turns to find everyone watching us. When I turn to look at them, they smile and give me "good work's" and "congratulations". I just watch them, with a slight bored expression, and narrow my eyes just a bit at their foolishness.

"Get back to work, all of you!" Captain Hitsugaya commands. "Miyuki, come with me to my office. I will heal you shoulder."

"Yes, Captain,"

We walk for a bit. Neither of us is talking; the silence is noticeable but comforting. As we round the corner, I can see Squad 10's barracks in full view for the first time. It's very impressive. It has many rooms and hallways that look like they crisscross. I better be careful not to lose my way in the future. Captain Hitsugaya leads me through a few of the rooms; most looking the same as the others. He then takes me through a few hallways and stops at a final door.

"This will be your room," Captain Hitsugaya verbalizes. He then proceeds opening the door. It isn't much. It's just a standard room with absolutely no furniture. "I am sorry to say, but we ran out of furniture for your room. We ordered them as soon as we found out, but I'm afraid you will have to sleep on the floor until it arrives."

I sigh. I give a slight glare at the room, cross my arms, and say, "I appreciate what you have done. I am rather annoyed by the lack of furniture. Your squad should regularly check the supplies beforehand." I uncross my arms and slightly narrow my eyes.

Captain Hitsugaya nods his head once. He looks me directly in the eye. Without a word, he turns and proceeds forward with a signal for me to follow. I stand there dumbfounded. I was expecting him to comment, but all he did was agree to what I said. I regain my composition and resume following him.

Captain Hitsugaya and I reach his office. He strides right in and opens a drawer. He pulls something out and returns to me. He quickly dresses my shoulder wound and motions for me to sit down on the sofa.

"You did really well today for your first day of training," Captain Hitsugaya praises. "Tomorrow, you will continue training. For now, get something to eat and then go back outside and train with the other recruits."

"Yes, sir!"


	2. Reminiscence

**Chapter 2: Reminiscence**

_**I do not own anything but Miyuki Kobayashi.**_

_"I'm going to the market. I want to buy some sweets for you and I," I say, waving goodbye to my sister. _

_Once the door closes, I start running. Where, I do not yet know. Something is calling to me, pulling me forward as if I was a puppet being controlled by my Puppet Master. I am afraid, but I do not show it. I push forward, through my fear, into a new sense of reality._

_ I stop running, and look at my surroundings. There are many hills and trees off to the distance. There is a small breeze that is making everything sway, creating music. This is my favorite place to be. I come here when I'm feeling lonely. _

_Most kids don't come near me. When they do pass by me, they start acting nervous and they start whispering to one another. I don't like it when they do that. People judge me and I don't know why. Because of them, my heart has been dried up. The only one who cares about me is my sister. But even she has started becoming distant. I don't like that either. I lie down and close my eyes. Everything around me is completely and utterly silent. Next thing I know, everything changes._

_I bolt upright. Where am I? Panic takes control of me. I scour the room I'm in, and my breathing evens out. I'm in Squad 10 Barracks. I sigh loudly, remembering that my room still has no furnishings. I look at the window and am surprised that it is still pitch-black outside. I do not feel tired anymore, so I sit cross-legged and meditate._

_I open my eyes. Everywhere I look, mountains appear before me along the horizon. Snow is falling, but it never touches me. I do not feel cold._

_"Mrrmrrmrr…" an ominous voice bellows. Mist swirls throughout the landscape. "Mrrmrrrmrrrrr…" Again, I hear the voice. It seems quieter and more distant than it did the last time._

_"Who's there?" I shout. "Answer me!" I start running forward. The mist gets thick. It envelops my whole body. Second by second, it gets darker. Darker and darker still… now I see nothing. The world around me is pitch black._

_"My name is…" The voice is suddenly clear. It sounds female. A shape suddenly appears. I see a large pure blue bird with a flowing tail that sparkles as it moves. Its wings have a dazzling array of different hues of blues. Its eyes are a deep cerulean blue that shine like the ocean. "My name is…"_

My eyes open. "Damn!" I scream. A knock sounds on my door. "Come in!" I can see daylight streaming through my window as the door slides open. Lieutenant Matsumoto appears before me.

"Breakfast!" she meows playfully. Lieutenant Matsumoto grabs my arms and drags me to the heart of the barracks. She leads me to a table with other members of the squad.

"I would like some scrambled eggs with toast and some sake!" Lieutenant Matsumoto tells the waiter.

"You will not have any sake during breakfast!"

"Aww… Captain you are so mean!" Lieutenant Matsumoto whines.

The waiter returns with Lieutenant Matsumoto's meal, excluding the sake. He turns to me and asks, "What would you like, Miss?"

"I'll have the same as Lieutenant Matsumoto, thanks," I reply.

* * *

"Next up! Miyuki Kobayashi against Diachi Hayata. Begin!" Lieutenant Matsumoto declares.

I stand up, my wooden sword in my hands, and walk to the center of the room as my opponent does the same. We greet each other. Afterwards, he attacks first. He swings towards my right shoulder. I successfully block him, and then counterattack with a blow to his right kneecap. He stumbles and falls, but manages to stand back up. He charges me, and our swords meet. I swing, and he defends. We continue like that for another minute until I feint, roll under him, and lash at his back. Daichi Hayata is defeated. We are dismissed and we both sit back down.

* * *

After training, the other squad members congratulate me. I battled 10 opponents and beat each of them without gaining any strong blows.

"It was nothing. I think they went easy on me since I'm a girl," I say, with a sparkle of humor in my eyes. The squad members laugh for a bit, and then leave to do their own things. As I walk with some of my new friends, Lieutenant Matsumoto walks up to us.

"Good work today, Miyuki. I haven't seen someone as strong as you in a while," Lieutenant Matsumoto praises. "By the way, Captain Hitsugaya wants to see you in his office. It sounded important, so you should leave right away."

I nod, and quickly head towards Captain Hitsugaya's office. The whole way there, I hear a familiar voice echoing in my head. I can't understand it, but there isn't any hint of anger. All I can sense is… pride.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

"Come in."

I walk into Captain Hitsugaya's office. He gestures for me to sit.

"You are doing really well in training, Miyuki. I have been watching everyone train today. You stood out amongst them. I have also noticed that you do not yet possess your shikai. I can feel that you are close to obtaining its power, but something is stopping you from reaching it," Captain Hitsugaya pauses. He closes his eyes for a few moments. He reopens them and looks me directly in the eye. His gaze is intense, but not vicious. "Why do you think you are unable to access your shikai, Miyuki?"

I look down at my hands, unsure of what to say. "I… I don't know. It seems that each time I try to talk with my zanpakuto, whenever she speaks, I just can't make out what she says. Earlier today, I was able to understand her… But before she told me her name, the dream just… ended and Lieutenant Matsumoto was at my door," I blurt. I honestly don't know why I can't hear my zanpakuto's name… and that frightens me.

Captain Hitsugaya ponders my answer for a while. He opens his mouth to speak, but ends up closing it. He looks through the window, and I can see he is lost in thought. He sighs, and looks back at me.

"Miyuki, did something happen in your childhood that is keeping you from reaching shikai?" he asks.

His words send shivers down my spine. I am suddenly in the past, remembering the day that I thought I had forgotten.

_ "I'm going to the market. I want to buy some sweets for you and I," I say, waving goodbye to my sister. _

_Once the door closes, I start running. Where, I do not yet know. Something is calling to me, pulling me forward as if I was a puppet being controlled by my Puppet Master. I am afraid, but I do not show it. I push forward, through my fear, into a new sense of reality._

_I stop running, and look at my surroundings. There are many hills and trees off to the distance. There is a small breeze that is making everything sway, creating music. I lie down and close my eyes. Everything around me is completely and utterly silent._

_"BOOM!" The ground starts shaking uncontrollably. I quickly sit up, afraid. I look around me. All of a sudden, I hear a loud roar. Right in front of me, a large creature with a long tail and spines on its back walks towards me. It has a large white mask on its face, and a hole in the middle of its chest. I try to run away, but I trip and fall. The monster catches up to me, and scoops me up in its hand. It starts to lower me into it mouth when, suddenly, it drops me. I fall to the ground, at least from 13 feet in the air. I hit the ground hard, breaking my right leg. I look up, with tears in my eyes, at a woman clad in black. She has a sword in her hand and she is defending herself against the monster._

_"Run! Get out of here!" she yells._

_"I can't! My leg is broken!" I scream back, fear almost completely consuming me._

_Tears keep spilling down my cheeks and they blur my vision. I blink and try to rub them away, when suddenly someone scoops me up in their arms and carries me away. I look up and see a man, also clad in black. He looks at me and keeps running._

_Finally, the man stops and sets me down carefully. He tends to my leg, wrapping it up and keeping it properly elevated._

_"You have strong spiritual energy, little one," the man whispers. "You should consider becoming a soul reaper. Someone with as much spirit energy as you needs to learn how to control it."_

_"Who are you?" I tentatively ask._

_"I am-"the man is suddenly bleeding through his chest. He gasps in pain and slumps over, dead. Behind him, a figure stands in the shadows and laughs. My eyes become glazed over, and I soon lose consciousness._


	3. Torment

**Chapter 3: Torment**

**_I do not own anything but Miyuki. (I have found a beta. I'm not accepting any more requests thank you!)_**

"No! No, no, no!" I shake my head furiously, trying to stop the memory from continuing. I start to shake uncontrollably, and I gasp for breath. Suddenly, I feel hands on my back.

"Miyuki? Miyuki, what's wrong?" Captain Hitsugaya slightly shakes me. I look up at him, eyes wide, and faint.

* * *

When I open my eyes, I can see Captain Toshiro in the hall, Lieutenant Matsumoto in a chair sleeping, and Captain Unohana standing above me, smiling.

"Glad you are awake. You gave your Captain quite a scare. Rest up a bit and you can resume training tomorrow," Captain Unohana informs me. She then leaves the room and Captain Hitsugaya walks in. We exchange a glance. I nod once, and he turns to leave.

"Rangiku! Wake up and get back to work!" Captain Hitsugaya commands.

Lieutenant Matsumoto almost falls out of her chair, but she makes it look like she did it on purpose. She then looks and smiles at me before following her Captain out of the room.

I rest my head on the pillow and close my eyes. _Why am I suddenly remembering that day? I thought I had forgotten about it! But… when I looked into Captain Hitsugaya's eyes, the memory suddenly overwhelmed my senses. That man… I don't remember who he is and yet… it's as if I do know, deep in my subconscious… It feels as though something or someone has tinkered with my mind. _I cover my face with my hands, frustrated. _Why was I able to remember it with my Captain but not now?_

* * *

_The sky is blue. There aren't many clouds in the sky, and the sun is shining brightly. Next thing I know, the sky fills up with clouds and blocks out the sun. Everything becomes dark._

"_Aaaah!"_

_I hear screaming in the background. It sounds familiar. I start running forward, but each step I take forward is like taking two steps backwards._

"_Aaaah!" again, I hear the scream. This time, I'm sure I've heard it before. I stop running. I look at my surroundings. The scenery has changed. Mountains stand erect along the horizon. Snow is falling, but it never touches me. I do not feel cold._

_"You are Miyuki Kobayashi. I am your zanpakuto." A thunderous voice booms all around me, reverberating against invisible walls. A large, pure blue phoenix appears before me. It has a flowing tail that sparkles as it moves. Its wings have a dazzling array of different hues of blues, and have eyes that are a deep cerulean blue that shine like the ocean._

"_My name, child, is…"_

"_Aaaah!" The same scream that I heard before splits the air around me. The image of the majestic phoenix dissipates. A small girl appears before me. She has emerald green eyes, and short but wavy auburn hair. _She looks like me!_ The girl looks me directly in the eye, wails again, and crumples on the ground. Her clothes go flat, as if her body has somehow dissolved into nothingness. _

I wake up in a cold sweat. I gasp for breath, as if I was just released from a chokehold. I look out the window. The sun is just above the horizon. I face forward again, unsure of what the dream meant. When I think back on it, I can hardly remember it at all. The only thing I remember: startling emerald eyes and a shriek full of terror.

"Good morning, Miyuki!" Lieutenant Matsumoto says as she bounces along the walls with Captain Hitsugaya who looks at her with a slight glare.

"Good morning, Lieutenant Matsumoto and Captain Hitsugaya. What brings you here?" I inquire.

"We are here to check up on you," my Lieutenant says. She runs up to me and hugs me, her breast cutting off my air supply. "Oops, sorry 'bout that. You are just so cute and huggable!"

"Rangiku, give the girl some space, would'ya?" Captain Hitsugaya sighs. "We have come to take you back to the barracks to train some more. You do a good job, and you inspire the other squad members."

I blush slightly. "Th-thank you, Captain Hitsugaya. I do feel better so I will be joining you." I get out of bed and walk with them to the barracks.

* * *

When I arrive, my new friends rush to me to make sure I am okay. They seem really relieved at the information. Captain Hitsugaya and Rangiku leave so that I can catch up with my friends before training begins. They tell me that we received a new recruit; he's a boy with shoulder-length, jet-black hair.

"There he is! There he is!" a crowd of girls squeal, point, and run up to the newcomer. I look at him. I suddenly recognize him, with his dark sneer always etched on his face, and those unforgettable red eyes.

"It's-"

**(Didya like my cliffhanger? Haha sorry for that! But you will have a very good next chapter! I hope?)**


	4. Revival

**Chapter 4: Revival**

_**I own nothing but Miyuki Kobayashi and… wait for it… The new dude! (Haha smokepelt was here! :P)**_

"It's-" I start. One of my friends looks at me.

"Do you know him?" She inquires.

"I… He… I don't know. I can sense that I know him but… I don't have a memory of him," I reply. Suddenly, a sharp pain lances through my skull. I crumple on the floor, clutching my head. Everyone looks at me, while my friends try to help me. I soon block them all out; a dark memory envelops my brain.

_ "Run! Get out of here!" the woman in black yells._

"_I can't! My leg is broken!" I scream back, fear almost completely consuming me. _

_Tears keep spilling down my cheeks and they blur my vision. I blink and try to rub them away, when suddenly someone scoops me up in their arms and carries me away. I look up and see a man, also clad in black. He looks at me and keeps running._

_Finally, the man stops and sets me down carefully. He tends to my leg, wrapping it up and keeping it properly elevated._

"_You have strong spiritual energy, little one," the man whispers. "You should consider becoming a soul reaper. Someone with as much spirit energy as you needs to learn how to control it."_

"_Who are you?" I tentatively ask._

"_I am-"the man is suddenly bleeding through his chest. He gasps in pain and slumps over, dead. Behind him, a figure stands in the shadows and laughs. My eyes become glazed over, and I soon lose consciousness._

* * *

_ "Wake up little girl," a sinister voice growls. _

_I am immediately frightened. Thoughts race through my mind:_ Where am I? Who is he? What does he want with me?

"_Good, you're awake. You are one interesting little specimen now, are you? You have the strongest spirit energy I have ever witnessed, and the strongest spiritual pressure too. What intrigues me is that you are only… Just. A. Kid." The malicious voice croons. _

_ I try to scoot away from him. I hit the wall. Something sharp hit my head and now I'm bleeding._

"_I'm conducting a little experiment… would you like to be my first test subject of the day?" the man throws his head back and laughs maniacally. He walks closer to where I sit, on the ground against the wall. "Fall upon the grave! Satsuriku No Tenshi!"_

_ His sword extends, and it turns pure black. The blade resembles a Kris. Again, the man laughs. _

"_You see, my blade Satsuriku No Tenshi is very different than other swords. If it comes into contact with my opponent's soul chain and soul sleep, it will absorb their spirit energy and transport it to me." He positions himself into an attacking stance. "My name is Hotaro Ehime. It will be the last thing you hear!" Hotaro charges towards me, and throws me so that I am away from the wall. He then flash steps behind me, and launches an attack towards my soul chain and soul sleep._

_ Just before he comes into contact, I hear a clash of swords. A short boy with a sword is in front of me. His hair is white. He looks at me from the corner of his eye, to see if I was unharmed. I am startled to see his eyes. They are pure blue. The boy throws off my attacker. They charge at each other. Hotaro suddenly charges at me, and when the boy defends me, he becomes unarmed and has a deep shoulder wound. The zanpakuto lands right next to me. I can see Hotaro raise his sword for the deathblow. I quickly grab the zanpakuto and shove it deep into Hotaro's chest. He falls to the ground. Slowly, the boy takes his sword out of Hotaro's chest, grabs me, and flash steps away._

* * *

I open my eyes. Everyone is looking at me. My friends; squad members; and _him_.

"You okay, Miyuki?"

"Yeah I am. Sorry for scaring you." I reply. I glance up at Hotaro; he is looking at me with the Devil's smirk. I stand up, and run to my room.

When I get to my room, I close the door. I did not expect to see Captain Hitsugaya sitting there. I also didn't expect to see furniture in my room, either.

"C-Captain." I stutter.

"Miyuki. You remember, don't you?" Captain Hitsugaya goes straight to the point. "You remember that day, don't you?"

"Yes Captain… You were there too, weren't you? You saved me…"

"That is true, but you also saved me, Miyuki. One other thing…" Captain Hitsugaya pauses. After a heartbeat, he finishes, "I was the one who tampered with your memory. I never thought I would see you again, so I didn't think any harm would come from it. But now I see my mistake. For that, I am sorry."


	5. Imposter

**Chapter 5: Imposter **

**_I do not own anything but Miyuki Kobayashi and Hotaro Ehime. Enjoy! :)_**

**(I am thinking of writing a bunch of one-shots. PM me or review suggesting a couple. Will do GuyxGuy or GirlxGirl)**

"What are we going to do now, Captain?" I ask, voice unnaturally quiet. My emerald green eyes are wide open; my mouth dry.

"We can't do anything irrational until we have proof of him being evil. Past events cannot help us; he can always deny it. In the event that we catch him doing something wrong, like killing a squad member or taking revenge on us, can we report them to the Head Captain." Captain Hitsugaya murmurs. "Now, keep an eye on him, but do not make it obvious that you are keeping close watch on him. Try to stay with either Lieutenant Matsumoto, your friends, or with me. I will inform the Lieutenant of this, but do not tell your friends about this meeting. Stay safe."

Captain Hitsugaya walks up to me, pats me on the head, and opens the door to my room. "Wait! Captain!"

He turns around.

"What'll I do if he attacks me during my sleep?" I ask, immediately on alert.

"I don't believe he'll attack you today, or for at least a week until he knows how the barracks are run. He is also going to be secretly memorizing each squad members' abilities and powers. Good night, Miyuki." With that, he walks out of my room.

_What'll I do? I believe in what the Captain says, but I just don't know what to do! I won't be able to sleep knowing that there is someone after me!_

**~ 5 minutes later ~**

"Zzz…Zzz…Zzz…" I snore, as soon as I close my eyes.

_I try to scoot away from him. I hit the wall. Something sharp hit my head and now I'm bleeding._

"_I'm conducting a little experiment… would you like to be my first test subject?" Hotaro throws his head back and laughs maniacally. He walks closer to where I sit, on the ground against the wall. "Fall upon the grave! Satsuriku No Tenshi!"_

_ His sword extends, and it turns pure black. The blade resembles a Kris. Again, Hotaro laughs. _

"_You see, my blade Satsuriku No Tenshi is very different than other swords. If it comes into contact with my opponent's soul chain and soul sleep, it will absorb their spirit energy and transport it to me." He positions himself into an attacking stance. "My name is Hotaro Ehime. It will be the last thing you hear!" Hotaro charges towards me, and throws me so that I am away from the wall. He then flash steps behind me, and launches an attack towards my soul chain and soul sleep._

"Aaah!" I bolt upright as I hear a scream interrupt my nightmare. I then notice my throat hurts, and I realize that I was the one who was screaming. My room is pitch-black, and I start to shake with fear. _Is someone there? I can't see anything… I'm afraid!_

The door suddenly slides open, revealing Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto with their zanpakuto unsheathed.

"You alright?" Lieutenant Matsumoto asks, as she steps into the room, ready to use her zanpakuto if needed.

"I'm sorry!" I plea as I bow my head. "I had a nightmare. Please forgive me if I startled you two." I look up at them, surprised to find bags under Lieutenant Matsumoto's eyes. _Were the two of them guarding my room as I was sleeping?_

"There's nothing to worry about now, Miyuki!" Lieutenant Matsumoto beams as she roughly pats me on the head repeatedly, messing up my already disheveled hair. "You are safe! Be seeing you!" Captain Hitsugaya sheaths his sword and leaves my room, Lieutenant Matsumoto following behind him; rigid and prepared for an attack.

I lay back down on my pillow, afraid to fall asleep. I sit there, dazed, lost in thought. _This must be serious if both Captain Hitsugaya and Lieutenant Matsumoto are both watching guard outside my room. But why? I've just recently become a member of the squad, and I don't even have access to my shikai! What could they possibly see in me that would make them protective of me? Does… does Captain Hitsugaya have other feelings for-_

My thoughts are suddenly interrupted as my window slides open. I jump out of my bed, grab my zanpakuto, unsheathe it, and take up a defensive stance against my door. _I do not hear anything coming towards me, nor do I hear anything from the hall. I also don't feel any spiritual energy, hostile or friendly. _

I stand there for what feels like an eternity, until the curtain is pushed aside. I quickly stand in the darkest spot and wait for my chance to attack. _There!_

"Aaaah!" I yell, charging the intruder. The intruder blocks my sword, and puts his/her hands up as if to say _calm down_.

"Who _are_ you?" I ask, my voice menacing.

"It's-" _CRASH! _The trespasser suddenly knocks over my nightstand.

"Aaah! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" I can see his/her hands flailing in front of him/her in apology. "As I was saying, my name is Ken'Ichi. Do you remember me, Miyuki?"

"Ken'Ichi! It's good to see you!" I run up to him and give him a death hug.

"…I…Can't…Breathe!"

"Sorry! What are you doing here? And why this late at night?" I ask, a little suspicious.

"Well, since we were separated a long time ago, I never got to tell you that I became a soul reaper. When I heard that you became one, I was ecstatic! I wasn't able to see you earlier because I was on a mission and just recently came back. I remember how you used to be when we were little. You never got along with anyone, 'Cept me! But we didn't know each other for very long. Besides, you kept punching me whenever I acted silly. I was surprised that you didn't punch me just now!" Ken'Ichi rambles, just now taking a breath and smiling like a goofy kid.

_Some people never change… _"You mean like this?" I hold up my fist and punch him right in the arm. I slightly smile, but then change my expression back to normal.

"Ow! It definitely hurts more than it used to! But… your expression is different. You used to always have a kind face, but now… Your eyebrows are knit together and you look like you are frowning. What happened these past 10 years?"

"Long story short, people started avoiding me and I became distant… Eventually, my expression became one of… well… this."

He nods. "Sounds good to me! Anyway, I gotta go. See ya!" He pats me on the arm. He turns to leave, but I quickly punch him in the shoulder. "OW! What was that for?"

"You were patting me on the arm. You know I never liked that. Anyway, good night. Glad to see you."

Ken'Ichi climbs through my window, then runs off towards… well, whatever squad he is in. _Guess I have no choice but to sleep._

__**(Sorry for the late update! I was visiting my dad and forgot to send myself this chapter over my email. Sorry!)  
**


	6. Desires

**Chapter 6: Desires**

_**I do not own anything but my OC characters.**_

_**(Should I make my chapters longer? I do not want to make them too long or too short.)**_

I wake up, the sun shining through my window. I stretch, feeling well-rested. I look around my room, happy to finally have furniture! I change into my black kimono, get my zanpakuto, and head to the café for breakfast.

"Miyukiiiii! Join us for breakfaaaast!" Lieutenant Matsumoto sings. I walk over to the table where she sits, and am surprised to see how many people are here. I can recognize a few of them. There is Captain Hitsugaya, Lieutenant Hisagi, Lieutenant Hinamori, and a few others that I cannot name.

"Miyuki!" Lieutenant Matsumoto points towards the person sitting next to her, "This is Lieutenant Hinamori…" She then points to each of the others, "…Lieutenant Kira, Lieutenant Hisagi, Lieutenant Abarai, Lieutenant Ise, and Captain Kyoraku!"

I bow, and say, "Pleased to meet you. I am Miyuki Kobayashi." They all give me a nod in greeting.

"You are a pretty one now, aren't you?" Captain Kyoraku comments, tipping his hat down like a gentleman. "Come, sit down. We don't bite. Have some sake, too!"

I sit down in the empty spot between Captain Hitsugaya and Captain Kyoraku. I am handed a small bowl of sake. "No thank you, Captain Kyoraku. I don't drink sake."

"Well that's a real shame. Here I was, offering a pretty lady a drink and it turns out she doesn't drink… Tsk, Tsk," Captain Kyoraku shakes his head in disappointment and sighs. He takes my bowl and downs it in one gulp. A small blush appears on his face, and his eyes become slightly glazed over. "Nanao, would you be a dear and get me some *hic* more sake?" He goofily grins at his subordinate, who disdainfully looks at him.

"Captain, you know you shouldn't have sake in the morning…"

* * *

"Miyuki, follow me to my office." Captain Hitsugaya suggests. He nonchalantly looks around. I know that he isn't looking around because he wants to, but because he is scanning the area for danger. The coast is clear, so we take a detour through the area. The longer he walks in front of me, the more I can't stop myself from looking at him. For the first time, I notice things about him that I haven't picked up before. Like the way he walks; he walks with utter confidence, something that people try to mimic, but never succeed. I also notice his complexion. His skin is smooth, no sign of wrinkles anywhere. His height may say he is young, but his face displays otherwise. I can tell that he is very knowledgeable for his age.

I blush, also noticing that he is cute. When I say cute, I mean CUTE. Captain Hitsugaya turns around. I am quick to harden my expression. He looks me directly in the eye and says, "I don't see Hotaro around today. We still need to be careful, for he could be anywhere."

I nod, agreeing with him. We look each other in the eye for a few seconds longer. I avert my gaze, one again blushing. I look back up at Captain Hitsugaya, and he too, is blushing. Out of nowhere, he turns back around and walks forward once again.

"Miyuki! Miyuki!" hear a voice calling out to me. Captain Hitsugaya tenses; putting his hand on the hilt of the sword, ready to take it out if needed. A boy runs towards me. He has short black hair and brown eyes. He reaches me and I notice that we are the same height.

"Ken'Ichi!" I exclaim.

"Do you know him, Miyuki?" Captain Hitsugaya asks.

"I am Ken'Ichi of squad 4, Captain Hitsugaya, sir!" Ken'Ichi bows and salutes. "I was a childhood friend of Miyuki's."

Captain Hitsugaya opens his mouth to say something, when suddenly a dark shadow appears around the corner. He unsheathes Hyorinmaru. "Ken'Ichi, take Miyuki to squad 4 barracks. Protect her with your life!"

"Y-yes sir!" he stammers as he unsheathes his zanpakuto. "Dissolve! Chiyu Hedoro!" His zanpakuto is engulfed with a light. The light fades and Ken'Ichi is holding a jade green dagger. There is an emerald on the hilt of it. "Miyuki, take out your zanpakuto. You may need it."

I nod in compliance and take out my zanpakuto. I stare at it, suddenly unaware of my surroundings. I can feel something emanating from my sword. It is beckoning me towards it, trying desperately to tell me something. All too soon, I am pulled from my dream-like state. Ken'chi is tugging on my arm, trying to get me to move. I shake my head and follow him. Out of nowhere, three big black shadows surround us.

"Engulf!" Green goo shoots from the tip of the dagger. It immediately expands, covering our opponents and hardening; not allowing them to escape. "We don't have much time. Hurry!"

I can see squad 4's barracks in the distance. There is a slight sound ahead of me, and Captain Hitsugaya appears. "Captain! Are you all right?" I ask.

"Yes. It was a simple decoy. I wasn't injured badly." Captain Hitsugaya shrugs it off. The sleeve of his right arm is torn. He is bleeding slightly.

"Heal." Ken'Ichi whispers. More green goo comes out of his dagger. It wraps around Captain Hitsugaya's arm and glows slightly. The blood dries up, and what looks like a burn fades away. The green goop falls off his arm, and disintegrates into nothingness. Captain Unohana is standing at the doors of her barracks, smiling softly. She somehow knew we were coming and came to greet us.

"Are any of you hurt?" she asks.

"No Captain Unohana. I healed whatever injuries that were sustained." Ken'Ichi replies, bowing his head slightly.

"Very good. Ken'Ichi, resume your daily duties. I wish to speak to these two alone."

"Yes ma'am." Ken'Ichi leaves. I can sense that deep inside he is angry. Why, I do not know. Captain Unohana leads us to her office. Lieutenant Kotetsu is at her desk, finishing up the paperwork.

"Isane, could you excuse us for a moment?"

"Y-Yes ma'am!" Lieutenant Kotetsu stacks up the papers and leaves the room quickly.

"I hear there has been an incident involving you two?" Captain Unohana chimes, getting straight to the point.

Captain Hitsugaya and I exchange a glance. Emotions swirl in his eyes. The strongest of them is sadness, followed closely by relief. _Sadness? Relief? I never would have imagined him showing any emotion at all; especially not sadness._

"There is a problem, Unohana. But it is under control. Thank you for worrying, but we don't need any help."

Captain Unohana is still smiling, but Captain Hitsugaya's demeanor fades, and he fidgets a bit. I don't understand what is happening until Captain Unohana looks directly at me. My nerves stand on end, I have goosebumps along my arms and legs, and my eyes widen in fear. Sweat starts to bead on my forehead, and I notice that my arms and hands feel awkward at my sides. I want to look away, but her gaze has me trapped.

"Let me put this some other way… There is something going on between you two."

"Unohana-" Captain Hitsugaya starts to talk, but stops when Captain Unohana's gaze reaches him. She looks back at me, and awaits my answer. I share a glance with my Captain, and he nods. Captain Unohana's gaze softens; no longer threatening.

I take a deep breath, and explain our situation. Captain Hitsugaya fills in any blanks that I may have made.

"I see. There isn't anything left to do but sit and wait. I will try to gather up information on your new recruit. No one else will know about this. You may leave and return to your barracks."

"Thank you, Unohana. We will be leaving now," Captain Hitsugaya announces. He heads for the door, and I follow him.

* * *

We reach the barracks. Captain Hitsugaya takes me to his office.

"You need to be able to access your shikai. Without it, you will not stand a chance against Hotaro. Take it out."

I unsheathe my sword. Again I can feel something emanating from it. Upon closer inspection, I notice that it feels familiar. _Where have I witnessed this sensation before?_ I wrack my brain for the answer but cannot remember.

"Do you feel that, Miyuki? Your sword is calling out to you. You need to be able to hear the name in order for your powers to awaken. Listen carefully, and you may hear something."

I take my Captain's advice. I put the sword on my lap and close my eyes. After a few moments, I hear a voice in my head. _He is so cute don't you think? You are so lucky to be able to get this close to him. I know you have feelings for him. You just need to admit it! He has feelings for you too, you know. I remember you checking him out earlier. You like everything about him, don't you?_

"SHUT UP!" I scream. Captain Hitsugaya jumps; he wasn't expecting me to suddenly scream at the top of my lungs. I pen my eyes, a deep blush appearing on my face. "S-Sorry, Captain. I was uh… talking with my zanpakuto."

"Have you learned its name yet?" he inquires, recovering from his shock.

"No. She was teasing me about… something." My blush deepens. I look into his eyes to see slight confusion. We stare at each other for what seems like an eternity. A slight blush creeps its way onto Captain Hitsugaya's face as well.

"Ahem… well, uh… you should get some rest. It's getting dark. Make sure your window is unlocked, in case someone tries to come in through your door."

"But wouldn't they come in through the window?" I retort, remembering how Ken'Ichi came in through it.

"Even if the window was locked, someone could get in easily and quietly."

_Sure, whatever you say…_

l~ ~ ~l

I lay down on my pillow, window unlocked. I lay there for a long time, thinking about Captain Hitsugaya. _What was up with him? I would think the smartest thing to do would be to keep the window locked… Was he implying that he would be here tonight? Watching over me in my sleep? _I feel slightly scared at the thought, but for some unknown reason I like the thought of him in my room without me knowing. _Ugh! What is wrong with me!?_

_**As I told you before, you have feelings for him.**_

_I do not!_

_**Please! It's so obvious!**_

_Why is it that I can hear you perfectly fine now, but I can't learn your name?_

**_It's because you are blocking yourself from hearing it. You are afraid, and you doubt that you will be able to control me. Don't be afraid, Miyuki. When you are over your fear and your doubt, you will be able to unlock your full potential. Besides, if you don't, Captain Hitsugaya will never be able to feel anything for you…_ **

She fades away, leaving me with many unanswered questions. _Why am I afraid? Why do I have doubt? WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO INTERFERE WITH MY SILLY LITTLE CRUSH?!_

"Who do you have a crush on, Miyuki?" a female voice asks.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto!" _Uh oh. I must've been talking out loud! _


	7. Revenge

**Chapter 7: Revenge**

_**I do not own anything but my characters.**_

Recap:

_Why is it that I can hear you perfectly fine now, but I can't learn your name?_

**_It's because you are blocking yourself from hearing it. You are afraid, and you doubt that you will be able to control me. Don't be afraid, Miyuki. When you are over your fear and your doubt, you will be able to unlock your full potential. Besides, if you don't, Captain Hitsugaya will never be able to feel anything for you…_ **

She fades away, leaving me with many unanswered questions. _Why am I afraid? Why do I have doubt? WHY DOES SHE HAVE TO INTERFERE WITH MY SILLY LITTLE CRUSH?!_

"Who do you have a crush on, Miyuki?" a female voice asks.

"Lieutenant Matsumoto!" _Uh oh. I must've been talking out loud!_

* * *

"Um…Um… n-no one important…?" I stammered.

"Mmhmm… Then why are you blushing?" Lieutenant Matsumoto meows playfully.

"I am not! By the way, what are you doing here?" I ask, my voice going cold.

"Don't be like that! You know you love me!" Lieutenant Matsumoto insists as she hugs me tightly; cutting off my air supply because of her large breasts. "Anyway," she says as she releases her death hug, "I'm here to watch over you. Captain Hitsugaya told me about the attack and I decided to come here without his permission!" Lieutenant Matsumoto winks at me.

"Right… Well, are you planning to stay in my room or something?" I inquire.

"Of course! I thought that I could sleep in your bed and you could sleep on the futon!" Lieutenant Matsumoto exclaims.

"Um, wouldn't it be easier if you sleep on my futon?" I retort. _Besides, you are the guest!_

"No! If someone attacks during the night, I will be the one attacked because I will be in your bed!"

"That will put you in danger! I will not allow you to risk your life for me!"

"Oh hush! My mind is made up. Now scoot! I need my beauty rest!"

I get up, grumbling. I take the extra blanket that is folded on the end of the bed and lay it on the futon. I also take the extra pillow in my closet.

Lieutenant Matsumoto falls asleep instantly. Thoughts haunt my mind. _What will happen if Hotaro attacks? Will Lieutenant Matsumoto be okay? What do I have to do to conquer my fear? _I fall into an uneasy sleep. My dream is the same; the day I was attacked by Hotaro.

* * *

_"Yooooohoooo!" a cheery voice echoes through my dream. "Wake up!"_

I shift in my sleep. All of a sudden, a hand slaps my face.

"Ow! What was that for?" I growl, putting my hand up to my sore cheek.

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!" Lieutenant Matsumoto puts on an innocent face. She then walks away, motioning for me to follow. I scramble off of the futon and hurry to catch up to her. The whole way there, I try to comb my fingers through my hair, but to no avail.

Lieutenant Matsumoto does not lead me to the training grounds, but to the forest. We stop in a clearing, where she takes out her zanpakuto. "Take out your sword, Miyuki. You need to train if you want to be able to stop Hotaro." She says, her expression serious. "Growl, Haineko!" Her zanpakuto turns to ash.

I quickly take out my sword, and block the attack. The lieutenant then surrounds me with the ash. A few stray wisps of it come near me, but I block them with my zanpakuto. The tornado of ash circles around me and threatens to touch me. In only a few more moments, the ash will completely engulf me.

"Aaargh!" I scream as I slash at the ash. The ash doesn't budge and I have no choice but to use kido. It was never my strong point, and I have to use an incantation for any spell above 20. "Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado #33 Sokatsui!" Blue light erupts from my palm and blasts away the ash. Before I can get through, the hole closes again. "No way!"

"Miyuki! Do not be afraid to get hurt! If you cannot blow away Haineko, then you have no chance of winning against opponents stronger than me! Try again, Miyuki!" Lieutenant Matsumoto encourages.

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado #33 Sokatsui!" Again, blue light erupts from my palm, but it blows up around me. I have sustained minor injuries, and I try again. This time, the whole sand tornado disappears.

"Return, Haineko. Good work, Miyuki! Now to train your melee skills. Get ready!" Lieutenant then charges towards me.

* * *

When we return to the barracks, the sun had already set. Luckily, Lieutenant Matsumoto had lunch with her.

"Miyuki, would you mind heading to the Captain's office and collecting the paperwork that needs to be done? I don't think it would be smart to anger the Captain until you are safe."

"Right away, Lieutenant Matsumoto!" I start to turn, when the Lieutenant grabs my arm.

"And Miyuki, stop calling me that. It's too formal! Just call me Rangiku."

"Yes, Rangiku." She releases my arm and I head towards the office. I take the long way, through the long halls that lead to the outside training ground. I stand there for a few moments, enjoying being bathed by the moonlight. Something stirs in the distance, and I flash step towards it. All of a sudden, hands appear out of nowhere and cover my mouth. The hands muffle my scream, and they drag me out to the forest.

The hands release me, and I quickly take out my zanpakuto. "Who are you?" I growl.

"Just a messenger." The man then disappears and is replaced with Hotaro.

"I've finally found you! Now, you are mine!"

**Please review! Should I make a sequel?**

**P.S. I may not update for a while. School is starting soon, so I'm gonna be busy! Also, check out my new story, In The Gutter. It's an IchigoxToshiro pairing!**


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